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E Olbrich

Publications and source records attributed to E Olbrich.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMedDate not supplied

[Potentials in old age: personal and social processes of their development].

In developed societies, antecedents of and conditions for the development of older people's potentials are favorable. Longevity and wellbeing have increased through progress in hygiene, medicines economy, and ecology. Nevertheless, potentials of the elderly are a neglected theme in the media, in social policy, and in scientific discourse. Along with Riley and Riley's statement that individual potential is outrunning the social potential, it is argued that aging persons have indeed developed potentials, while institutions and society have contributed little. Institutionalization rather seems to veil the potentials of the elderly and to disregard their manifestations. Potentials of the elderly are described as abilities to realistically perceive chances and limitations of life in old age, reappraise life after experiencing loss, and accept expressed in sympathy for children and grandchildren, in sharing their concerns, and taking responsibility for human and social issues in life. Older people can develop potentials, which allow them to focus less on many of their own needs and to invest energies and commitment in persons, ideas, values, or activities that can continue beyond their own lifetime.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Competence in the aged].

Cohort-sequential analyses of intelligence, personality variables, health and social data show that prerequisites for aging in competence today are better met in industrialized societies than a few decades ago. It is argued that a competence model of aging should complement the traditional defect and disuse models. Competence is defined by situational demands as well as by a person's resources to meet these. Emphasis on competence allows for specific (not general), variable (not constant), and relatively individual (not universal) descriptions and explanations of development. Chances for intervention with the aged are illustrated.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Gerontologic and geriatric education in the USA].

Training in gerontology in American institutes of higher education is conceptualized and realized in response to present societal demands. Although plurality of approaches prevails, gerontology has become an institutionalized discipline which in its research, training and application is formally sponsored by the national government. Programs are offered in many colleges and universities and assessed in terms of scientific excellence, of efficiency in teaching knowledge from multiple disciplines, and in terms of practicality. But still, problems of poor research and "quasi-professional" teaching, as well as of insufficiently founded practical work concern gerontologists. In a time of expansion, "instant gerontologists" have become a threat to the field. A brief "instant gerontologists" have become a threat to the field. A brief overview on questions presently discussed among teachers in gerontology is given, and a model-institution for gerontological training is briefly described, the Andrus Gerontology Center at the University of Southern California.

Aged↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Forms of independence and the residential environment--an empirical contribution from the study "Possibilities and limits of independent living for elderly patients"].

In a study on the chances and limits of independent living in old age, we collected data about difficulties in 23 activities of daily living in two sub-samples: participants from the western part of Germany (n = 745), and from the eastern part of Germany (n = 347). Participants were grouped into three patterns of competence by means of cluster analysis. Cluster analyses were calculated separately for participants in the western and eastern parts of Germany. In both sub-samples, we found three patterns of competence: "High competence in most activities of daily living", "reduced competence in some activities of daily living" and "reduced competence in most activities of daily living". Patterns of competence were similar in the sub-samples, but important differences were found in some activities of daily living between participants from the eastern and western parts of Germany (e.g., in "heating home," "washing clothes," "banking"). These differences were due to unfavorable conditions in physical environment. Analysis of the relationship between objective housing conditions (assessed by our research team) and patterns of competence strongly supported this interpretation. Participants in the two sub-samples were more satisfied with their housing conditions as could be expected from our assessment of housing conditions. Successful adaptation to environmental conditions and changes in the aspiration-level can explain these differences. The degree of satisfaction with housing conditions is only a poor predictor for possibilities in increasing competence by intervention and rehabilitation. Most participants wished to keep their household independently as long as possible. Acceptance for homes for the elderly was low.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Constancy or change in personality in the elderly? Findings and discussion of a controversy].

Research on personality development in the second half of life is reviewed, making a distinction between studies following a trait-oriented and studies using a process-oriented approach. A methodological and theoretical discussion of results not only explains differences in results, it also allows to conclude that the two approaches describe and explain complementary facets of the field. A synthesis between approaches is proposed in order to understand part of the controversy on constancy and change of personality development.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

[Human-accessible environment design. Crossroads between persons and environment].

The competence model of aging emphasizes transactions between the person and his/her environment. Adaptation of the environment to the person's resources gets equal status to the adaptation of the person to environmental demands. This becomes relevant for persons in need of help and care. Adapting their environment leads to a reduction of their environmental docility. It also becomes relevant for persons with higher potentials: Optimizing their environment contributes to environmental proactivity. For all groups, an increase of quality of life is correlated to optimized environments. While human factors design has created favorable conditions in the work place for many persons, it has not been applied often to the construction of home environments and to the production of equipment for everyday use. Results from a study on "Chances for and limitations of independent life in old age" are presented. They prove that elderly people in the new states of the Federal Republic of Germany not only differ from those in the old states with regard to the help and care they need. In the new states, environmental factors contribute considerably to limitations of independent life. Potentials of an optimally designed environment for the reduction of help and care are utilized even less in the eastern states of Germany than in the west. Arguments for the design of the furniture, equipment for communication and transportation, etc. are presented which emphasize ergonomic principles. They require that products should be adapted to the sensory potentials of their users, that they should allow an understanding or an easy cognitive processing of their functions, and that they should match the motor potentials of persons handling them. In short, products should be designed for a use that matches the "human model" as closely as possible. Thus, they will contribute to enhance the environmental proactivity of elderly people.

Activities of Daily Living↗